Latest News
Cuts will have an impact on charities
Around one third of voluntary and charitable organisations in England receive public money to support their work and over 20,000 organisations say that the public sector is their most important source of income according to initial findings of research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Professor John Mohan of the Third Sector [...]
(Continue reading)Health Minister confirms committal to ‘Rural Voices Matter’ Report
Health Minister Edwin Poots confirmed his commitment to ensuring that those living in rural areas have access to high quality health and social care services. The Minister spoke at the launch of the Patient and Client Council’s (P&CC) report ‘Rural Voices Matter’. Minister Poots welcomed the P&CC Report, saying: “My underlying priority as Minister will [...]
(Continue reading)Pickles and Spelman devolve green power
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman have announced further powers for local communities. The Natural Environment White Paper, which outlines how people are to be given People are to be given the ability to protect environmentally and locally important special green spaces. The paper includes proposals to give communities new powers to [...]
(Continue reading)MLA prepares to relaunch Accreditation Scheme
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has agreed transitional arrangements that will be put in place in preparation for the launch of the refreshed Accreditation Scheme and its transfer to Arts Council England. Officials say that by revamping the 22-year-old Accreditation Scheme, in partnership with the sector UK-wide, they have ensured its continued relevance in supporting museums [...]
(Continue reading)Education Council welcomes PAC report
Sir Alan Langlands, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE), has welcomed a report by the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, ‘Regulating financial sustainability in higher education’. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) findings follow a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) earlier this year which concluded that HEFCE has delivered value [...]
(Continue reading)Edinburgh Council shortlists developers
Edinburgh City Council has shortlisted four developers to provide detailed proposals to build up to 600 much-needed affordable homes in Edinburgh. The homes, which would be built across five sites in the north and east of the Capital, would be the first to be built under the National Housing Trust (NHT) scheme. The developers have [...]
(Continue reading)PAC report on higher education finance
The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published its new report on the regulation of financial sustainability in higher education. Based on evidence from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and representatives from three institutions, the report examines the introduction of new funding arrangements for higher education. The [...]
(Continue reading)Osborne welcomes IMF report
The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has welcomed the recent report by the International Monetary Fund which states the UK economy is on the right track to recovery. George Osborne made his comments despite caveats in the IMF’s annual report which warned there were still ‘significant risks’, not least weak growth in the economy, continued concerns [...]
(Continue reading)LGA highlights £68m cost of centralism
The Local Government Association (LGA) says that Government plans to give Ministers hundreds of new powers to tell councils how to deliver local services will increase council administration costs by at least £68m a year. New analysis reveals that measures proposed in the Localism Bill will cost district and unitary authorities on average more than [...]
(Continue reading)Deputy Minister gives the green light to publish performance information
The Welsh Deputy Minster for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert has announced that learner outcomes for FE institutions will be made available to the public for the first time. The Deputy Minister has also announced his intention to publish learning outcomes for work based learning providers later in the summer. Speaking about the move, the Deputy [...]
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